North to South

The net altitude gain in doing this segment
from the north is about a thousand feet. The difference
between Woods Creek and Glen Pass, however, is a good 3500
feet. The first two thousand feet of that gain takes place
over more than six miles, which isn't too bad. The last
1500 feet occurs in a mile and a half. After it leaves
the southernmost of the Rae Lakes, the trail begins a relentless
uphill assault, sections of which, towards the upper altitudes,
are almost laughably steep. Couple that with an almost
year-round expanse of snow near the crest and you've got
a heck of a pass to climb. The descent down the other side
is swift and convoluted. Eventually, it smooths out some
distance above sparkly Charlotte Lake and glides down to
a popular junction with the trail to the Kearsarge Pass
trail. After the rocky extremes of the pass, the drop down
to Vidette Meadow is a welcome change of greenery. The
switchbacks provide extraordinary views of the climb to
come as the trail settles into the coolness of the valley
at the foot of East Vidette.

South to North

Northbound hikers will find the going a little
steep after Vidette Meadow. The climb up to the Kearsarge
Pass Trail junction is long but shaded for the most part,
and a stream provides water if needed. Climbing past that
junction gets steep again, but the views west over Charlotte
Lake to Charlotte Dome are pretty damn cool. As soon as the
trail veers east, cutting into the granite gorge below Glen,
the going gets steep and rocky. When finally the pass itself
heaves into view, it's almost impossible to see how a trail
can even exist. But it does, and in measured, reasonable
switchbacks it slashes its way up the final distance to the
crest. Linger for a while at the top, because the descent
to Rae Lakes happens so fast that in no time you'll be down
among the trees again and the windswept euphoria at the top
will seem like something of a dream. Be kind to your feet
on the way down. One and a half granite-packed miles of descent
can make even the strongest toesies cower in abject misery.
Beautiful Rae Lakes provide a respite from the downhill and
a pause before it begins again, but the stretch leading down
to Woods Creek is hardly the granite blister-fest that came
before.